diff --git a/plugins/system/highlight/src/Extension/Highlight.php b/plugins/system/highlight/src/Extension/Highlight.php
index 0f8a013d02e70..52fcb230d6599 100644
--- a/plugins/system/highlight/src/Extension/Highlight.php
+++ b/plugins/system/highlight/src/Extension/Highlight.php
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 use Joomla\CMS\Component\ComponentHelper;
 use Joomla\CMS\Filter\InputFilter;
 use Joomla\CMS\Plugin\CMSPlugin;
+use Joomla\CMS\Uri\Uri;
 use Joomla\Component\Finder\Administrator\Indexer\Result;
 
 // phpcs:disable PSR1.Files.SideEffects
@@ -121,7 +122,9 @@ public function onFinderResult($item, $query)
             && empty($item->mime)
             && $params->get('highlight_terms', 1)
         ) {
-            $item->route .= '&highlight=' . base64_encode(json_encode(\array_slice($query->highlight, 0, 10)));
+            $uri = new Uri($item->route);
+            $uri->setVar('highlight', base64_encode(json_encode(\array_slice($query->highlight, 0, 10))));
+            $item->route = $uri->toString();
         }
     }
 }